From quirky to downright weird, a guide to the most unusual places to stay,
featuring the world's best spaceship treehouses, ice suites, underwater
hotels and glass igloos

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Located in the pine forest around Harads are six unique ‘treerooms’ (more are planned to open in the near future). Treehouses include the glass capsule-like Cabin, the lifelike Bird’s Nest, the mind-blowing reflective Mirrorcube and the UFO (pictured), which reminds guests of the final scene in E.T. There is also a Tree Sauna.

Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin, Germany

German artist Lars Stroschen designed this museum-meets-hotel, which has 30 unique rooms ranging from the tame to the extreme. There’s a room lined with angled mirrors, a padded cell, a crypt room (where the beds are coffins), a room with lion cages as beds, and a room which is ‘upside down’.

No Man's Fort, Solent, Portsmouth

No Man’s Fort – a Victorian-era fort which was originally built between 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth from an attack from Napoleon III – has been turned into a luxury hotel, with 22 bedrooms, a lighthouse penthouse suite, nightclub, hot tub and laser quest arena.

Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Bolivia

The Palacio de Sal – ‘Salt Palace’ – on the salt flats of Uyuni, is completely constructed from salt, including most of the furniture. There’s an impressive lobby, bar and 16 rooms with private bathrooms, central heating and electricity. The restaurant’s speciality? Salt chicken, naturally. For more information, see: palaciodesal.com.bo

The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA

The Dog Bark Park Inn takes the term ‘dog lover’ to a whole new level. Owned by chainsaw artists, the B&B is located inside a 12-foot beagle. Guests (it sleeps four) enter the beagle’s body through the second-storey deck. It is, of course, pet-friendly.

Magic Mountain Hotel, Huilo Huilo Reserve, Chile

The Magic Mountain Hotel is in the Hulio Hulio reserve, which covers 60,000 hectares of Valdivian forest, and has natural hot springs, unexplored lakes and direct access to the Mocho Choshuenco volcano. Accommodation ranges from rooms in the main lodge, which has a waterfall cascading from the pinnacle of the roof, to secluded forest lodges.

Icehotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Twenty years ago the world’s first Icehotel opened in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Every November, ice from the frozen Torne river is fused with snow (‘snice’) to remake the hotel – new themed suites are designed every year.

Hotel Marqués De Riscal, Elciego, Spain

The Marqués de Riscal is architect Frank Gehry's first and only hotel project, located in Elciego, in the heart of Spain’s Rioja wine-growing region. Similarly to his other projects, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao and the new Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, the structure is avant-garde in its approach, using huge titanium ribbons which stand out from the surrounding vineyard. The restaurant and bar are first-class, and there’s also a separate spa wing.

El Cosmico, Marfa, Texas, USA

El Cosmico, in Marfa Texas, describes itself as a ‘nomadic hotel’. Types of ‘shelter’ includes vintage trailers, safari tents, Sioux-style teepees, yurts and tent campsites. Though this isn’t as slapstick as it sounds: design is at the forefront of El Cosmico. Liz Lambert, the owner, also owns two boutique hotels in Austin and one in San Antonio.

Hotel Central & Café, Copenhagen, Denmark

Hotel Central & Café in Copenhagen takes boutique to a whole new level. This café-hotel has just one bedroom which measures 8ft x 10ft. Despite the lack of space there’s still a double bed, bathroom, television, an iPod docking station and a mini bar. And morning coffee is merely steps away.

Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, Huzhou, China

Nicknamed the ‘doughnut hotel’, the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort is on the Taihu Lake inbetween Nanjing and Shanghai. The magnet-shaped hotel was conceived by architect Ma Tansong, who has worked with Zaha Hadid in London and is responsible for the rippling Absolute Towers in Mississauga, Canada. The 27 floors above water, and two below (to create a complete oval) feature luxury trimmings, including a lobby paved with White Jade from Afghanistan and Tiger’s Eye Stone from Brazil.

Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico

Built around the restored 19th century San Pedro bullfighting ring, the Quinta Real Zacatecas is now a luxury hotel. The last bull run was in 1975. The hotel’s restaurant now looks over the old arena, while the brick-walled bar is located where the bullpens used to be.

Null Stern Hotel, St Gallen, Switzerland

Touted as the world's first 'zero star hotel', the Null Stern Hotel is in a converted underground nuclear bunker in the town of St Gallen. As expected, it’s basic, but there is (ironically) an on-site butler who can bring you your morning coffee.

Inntel Amsterdam Zaandamn, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The façade of this hotel is made up of nearly 70 stacked houses – from labourers’ cottages to town houses – which are typical of the area. Rooms are inspired by local history and there’s also a spa with a pool, Turkish steam bath and Finnish sauna.

Capsulevalue Kanda, Tokyo, Japan

Originating in Osaka, the capsule hotel is a popular concept in Japan. Stacked side by side and on top of one another to maximise on space, you can expect to pay around £30 per night. The idea has even travelled over to Europe – Helsinki airport will introduce their own sleeping pods.

Cedar Creek Treehouse, Ashford, Washington, USA

Constructed between the early 1980s and 2000s in the Pinchot National Forest, the collection of treehouses at Cedar Creek are cinematic. The treehouses look, quite literally, like a house has been placed up a tree. The observatory offers views of the Mount Rainer.

Ariau Amazon Towers, Manaus, Brazil

Guests awake to the screeching of primates and dazzling birds of paradise at this eco-friendly retreat, set high among the Amazon tree tops. Rooms include private balconies from which to marvel at the world’s largest tropical forest. Other facilities include treetop swimming pools, restaurants, bars and five miles of canopy-skimming walkways.

A Room for London, London, UK

Perched on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank, A Room for London is possibly London’s most exclusive hotel room. There are upper and lower decks, a small kitchen and dining area and incredible views of the city, stretching from Big Ben to St Paul’s.

Jumbo Stay, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden

This former Jumbo Jet, dating from around 1976, has been converted to provide overnight accommodation. Choose between an en-suite room, budget dormitory or twin rooms. The best room is a luxury cockpit suite complete with panoramic view – you might even catch some planes landing at Stockholm Arlanda next door.

Crazy Bear, Beaconsfield, UK

The Crazy Bear’s unique rooms take inspiration from the Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas and planet Mars, and are stuffed into the oldest and most historic building in Beaconsfield. Other bizarre features include a staircase decorated with foliage painted in 24-carat gold leaf, Persian pony skin on the walls of the bar, dripping chandeliers, a creepy mirrored chill-out room and loos that are deliberately unmarked.

The Hobbit Motel, Woodlyn Park, Waitomo, New Zealand

Put aside your preconceptions of the soulless motel – these Lord of The Rings-inspired rooms invoke homely charms suitable for the most discerning of hobbits. It’s two hours from Auckland and just two minutes from the Waitomo Caves.

Poseidon Undersea Resort, Fiji

Though this underwater hotel has taken 13 years to build, there’s still no sign of when it will be opening its doors. So far, an estimated 150,000 people have registered to stay at the Poseidon Undersea Resort when it does finally open. It’s designed by L Bruce Jones, chairman of Trition/US submarines company.

The Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania

If you can’t wait for Poseidon to open, then The Manta Resort in Tanzania has its very own Underwater Room. The floating structure has three levels, including a roof which is perfect for launching off into the sea. Downstairs, is the below-sea level bedroom, where you’ll see friendly trumpet and bat fish, Spanish dancers, squid and octopus.

The Library Hotel, New York, USA

While a library in a hotel is nothing new, The Library Hotel in New York is one for true book lovers: each of the 10 floors honour one of the 10 categories in the Dewey Decimal System (for example Literature, Technology, The Arts), and each of the 60 rooms come with a thematic collection of books depending on the floor. On top of that, there’s also a writer’s den, poetry garden and terrace and reading room.

Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver Island, Canada

Set among the trees of the west-coast rainforest on Vancouver Island are handcrafted, UFO-like spheres made from cedar, Sitka Spruce and fibreglass. The three globes are tethered to the trees with ropes, and sway gently in the breeze.

Costa Verde, Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

The Costa Verde team have transported and refurbished a 1965 vintage Boeing 727 airframe to create a fantastic, two-bedroom suite. The structure is set out on a concrete plinth that juts 50 feet into the jungle canopy and furnishings are hand-carved teak. The rear bedroom also has a handcrafted deck atop the wing.

The Boot Bed’n’Breakfast, Tasman, New Zealand

The giant boot guesthouse, created by Steve and his partner Judy in 2001, is wonderfully eccentric. The curved walls and ceilings means everything has been custom made. There was an old lady, who lived in a shoe…

Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya

One of Nairobi’s most iconic buildings, Giraffe Manor, harks back to the 1930s when European visitors first came here to enjoy safaris. The most fascinating thing about the elegant property is the herd of friendly resident Rothschild giraffe that live here: they often poke their long necks through windows, especially at meal times in search for a treat.

Winvian, Litchfield Hills, Connecticut, USA

This beautiful, 113-acre boutique resort in Connecticut is made up of 18 individually designed cottages. They range from the whimsical helicopter cottage, based on a Coast Guard chopper, to the neoclassical ‘Secret Society’ (pictured), a high temple to romance. Other cottages include the more classic Library, Woodlands and Beaver Lodge.

Utter Inn, Lake Mälaren, Sweden

Utter Inn (Otter Inn in English), is an art project by Mikael Genberg located in the Lake Malaren, near Västerås in Sweden. On entering the little red house on the water, guests will discover a submerged bedroom, with panoramic windows.

Hippo Point, Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Hippo Point is an exclusive wildlife estate sitting on an isthmus between Lake Naivasha and Lake Oloidean. Due to its perfect microclimate, more than 350 species of bird and 1,200 resident animals roam the grounds, including buffalo, giraffe, zebra, gazelle and, of course, hippo. The magical main house, which was build in 1932, is classically British, but the Dodo’s Folly really stands out: its eight-storey views are incredible.

Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah, USA

Perhaps one of the most luxurious on our list, but also one of the most strikingly unusual is the Amangiri resort in Utah. Set deep within Canyon Point, close to the border with Arizona, the hotel blends into its dramatic surroundings. The spa is a cut above.

The Liberty, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Once the Charles Street Jail, the Libery Hotel Boston has done away with its image as a former jailhouse – to an extent. While offerings include the stylish CLINK restaurant and Alibi bar, jail-time features have been preserved, including vestiages of jail cells, catwalks and three-storey arched windows.

Kakslauttanen Hotel, Saariselkä, Finland

Hotel Kaklauttanen is home to incredible glass igloos, from which you can admire the northen lights and starry sky. The hotel is open during northern lights season, from the third week of August until the end of April.

One of the most unusual places to sleep on our list, art sculpture CasAnus has been designed to resemble a giant intestine. Created by Joep Van Lieshout, inside is a double bed, an electric heater, as well as a shower with hot water.

Bivacco Gervasutti, Mont Blanc, Italy

Named after the Turin-born Alpine climber, the Bivacco Gervassutti capsule balances precariously on the edge of Mont Blanc. It’s inaccessible to most: only those who climb the Val Ferret will be able to experience the capsule, which sleeps 12.

ION Luxury Adventure Hotel, Nesjavellir, Iceland

Close to Thingvellir National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, ION Luxury Adventure Hotel sits amid a landscape of mountains and lava fields. The hotel juts out from the base of a long-dormant volcano.

The Woodpecker Hotel, Västerås, Sweden

Reached via sturdy but wobbly rope ladder, The Woodpecker Hotel (known locally as Hotell Hackspett) is located 13 metres up a 130-year-old tree. Dreamed up by artist Mikael Genberg (the same man behind the Utter Inn), the hotel is suspended from wires and has beautiful views across the park. It is open from April to October.

Sleeping Around, Antwerp, Belgium

As its name might suggest, these movable hotel rooms currently reside in Antwerp. The 20-feet containers are compact but high-quality: they have double beds, walk-in showers, iPod docking stations and air-con.

Featherbed Railroad, Clear Lake, California, USA

On the shore of Clear Lake in northern California, are nine vintage railroad caboose cars. All are different in theme: there’s a New Orleans bordello in La Loose Caboose, a Casablanca-themed cabin, and ‘beach house on rails’ TropiCaboose.

Entre Cielos, Mendoza, Argentina

In Mendoza, in a vineyard at the foothill of the Andes, is modern, Swiss-run wellness hotel Entre Cielos. The Vineyard Loft is a cocoon on stilts above the vines. There’s a bathtub on the terrace and a window in the roof that offers excellent views of the huge starry sky.

The Marmara Antalya, Antalya, Turkey

This revolving hotel is a feat of engineering. Situated on the Falez cliffs near Antalya, the 2,750-ton building floats in a tank of water, allowing smooth rotation and giving guests constantly changing views of the Mediterranean. You can go to sleep facing the pool and wake up facing the sea.

Beckham Creek Cave Haven, Parthenon, Arkansas, USA

Set in 530 acres of Arkansas rock, this cave hotel took four years to complete. It features central heating, whirlpool tubs and even serves as a wedding venue. The hotel has just undergone extensive renovations.